Thursday, October 23, 2008

Norther Ireland: Same As It Ever Was

Gerry Adams keeps fighting the good fight up there, he's championing an Irish Language Act that he shouldn't really have to be championing (it was in fact a term of the agreement which paved the way for devolution of power back to the people of Northern Ireland). Of course, not everybody up North thinks it's a good idea.

"The failure to proceed with the Act is one of the main issues - along with the devolution of policing powers, post primary education and plans for a sports stadium at the former Maze prison — that has led to the deadlock at Stormont, where the Sinn Fein/DUP led executive has not met for four months."

Now, no one is suggesting that things are reverting back to the bad old days when everything in Belfast was exploding and the Brits stepped in, but it would be foolish to think that the paramilitaries - both Republican and Loyalist - have been inactive so long that they couldn't pick up where they left off. Things remain peaceful in Northern Ireland, and God willing it will remain so, but it's worth keeping an eye on.